|
|
Tourer
Posts: 492
Indianapolis, IN | Here is a great way to put a cheap and easy garage door opener on your bike. I used a standard chamberlain key fob style remote. You will need a momentary switch that you can pick up at any electronics store. I like the push button style. The two wires from the switch are fed through a hole you will make in the key fob housing. They will need to be soldered to the circuit board on each side of the contact switch on the board, thus effectively bypassing the switch on the key fob. As the pictures show you can add a couple pull apart spade connectors in the wiring to allow ease of maintenance in the future.
Any brand of garage door opener can be done this way, it's just good to get the extra small ones that are available from the manufacturer.
I mounted the remote to the frame of the bike as you can see with a small square of velcro. The momentary switch can be mounted anyplace you like, even out of site on the fairing trim panels around the engine opening. I mounted my switch on the lower point of the radio trim panel. It's the small black knob in the picture at the bottom. The other two items in this picture or the heated jacket plug and temp. control for the jacket plug.
This is the chamberlain key fob remote I used - relatively cheap and available at Lowes.
http://www.chamberlain-diy.com/doityourself/pages/productmodeldetai...
Here's the switch I got. You can use anything that is small and momentary in function. You might look at Radio Shack. The one I used is about half way down the page.
http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Elec__Products/Switches/switches....
Here's the pics of the install. Only took about an hour to put together and install. No more fumbling for a garage door opener!!
(Opener Mod.JPG)
(Opener Mount.JPG)
(Opener Switch.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
 Opener Mod.JPG (74KB - 9 downloads)
Opener Mount.JPG (98KB - 5 downloads)
Opener Switch.JPG (86KB - 8 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Central Wisconsin | GREAT ingenuity! Just might have to try this mod. The opener seems protected enough out of the elements or
do you think some silicone would help waterproof the opener? 
|
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | Are you MacGyver?s cousin? great idea.. i love reading about stuff like this! |
|
| |
|
Tourer
Posts: 492
Indianapolis, IN | A couple times in the past folks have referred to me as "MacGyver", but I've never been able to do any more than wire something small together with a paper clip.
Thomas, good point, I did forget to minsion that I squirted a little silicone in around where the wire goes through the remote housing just to be safe. This particular remote is otherwise fairly water resistant. Some other brands may need to be sealed or wrapped in a ziplock or something to keep dry.
BTW, this method in no way reduces the original functionality of the door opener, it just adds a second switch. If the new switch ever quit working all you would have to do is remove the seat trim and use the opener as usual until a new switch can be installed.
|
|
| |
|
Tourer
Posts: 446
East TN | I just bought a flash 2 pass unit ($79) and installed it...Works like a champ. But this is a GREAT idea also! |
|
| |
|
Iron Butt
Posts: 619
Southeast Iowa | I just velcro'd a garage door opener to the lid of my "glove box". All you need to do is open the glove box and actuate the door then close it again. You can do this while turning in the driveway................no wires, drilling, switches or other BS. Very simple and very effective. |
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | Big Vic - 2010-05-26 6:27 PM
I just velcro'd a garage door opener to the lid of my "glove box". All you need to do is open the glove box and actuate the door then close it again. You can do this while turning in the driveway................no wires, drilling, switches or other BS. Very simple and very effective.
+1 Sounds just like setup! |
|
| |
|
Tourer
Posts: 492
Indianapolis, IN | Big Vic - 2010-05-26 6:27 PM
I just velcro'd a garage door opener to the lid of my "glove box". All you need to do is open the glove box and actuate the door then close it again. You can do this while turning in the driveway................no wires, drilling, switches or other BS. Very simple and very effective.
Great Idea Big Vic! Some of us have this problem of needing to take the simple and make it as complicated as possible. Just goes to show there really is more than one way to skin a cat.  |
|
| |
|
Cruiser
Posts: 60
Vancouver, B.C. & La Quinta, CA | Same here. Another opener cost $20. It took me 3 minutes to program it and another 10 seconds to Velcro it into the glovebox. Cheap, easy, functional and virtually zero room for breakdown.
Cheers |
|
| |
|
Cruiser
Posts: 82
Fargo, ND | Thumbs up tp the velcro. I installed my opener under the front ledge just below the inside of the windshield. I pull in the clutch, reach forward and push the button with my right hand and presto ! that great big piece of aluminum and glass moves out of my way! (Garage Door). I must admit that the apps I have seen for the button in the dash are pretty clean.
Stretch
2009 VVTP |
|
| |
|
Puddle Jumper
Posts: 26
North East Oregon | Here's a great garage door opener.
http://wimp.com/garageopener/ |
|
| |
|
Iron Butt
Posts: 639
Tri Cities, WA | I did this as well vic. nice and easy and took 1 min to do.
Big Vic - 2010-05-26 3:27 PM
I just velcro'd a garage door opener to the lid of my "glove box". All you need to do is open the glove box and actuate the door then close it again. You can do this while turning in the driveway................no wires, drilling, switches or other BS. Very simple and very effective. |
|
| |
|
Tourer
Posts: 599
New Mexico | hoosiervic - 2010-05-24 7:31 PM
The two wires from the switch are fed through a hole you will make in the key fob housing. They will need to be soldered to the circuit board on each side of the contact switch on the board, thus effectively bypassing the switch on the key fob. As the pictures show you can add a couple pull apart spade connectors in the wiring to allow ease of maintenance in the future.
This is the chamberlain key fob remote I used - relatively cheap and available at Lowes.
http://www.chamberlain-diy.com/doityourself/pages/productmodeldetai...
I have the same key fob. Took apart to solder wires, but found the best place to attach the wires was through the holes that went through the circuit board. These holes are so small they would require tiny (30 gauge?) wire. I am concerned that small of wire will not hold up to the rigors of the motorcycle.
Is this where you attached them?
Is that what you used?
|
|
| |
|
Tourer
Posts: 492
Indianapolis, IN | Boots - 2011-01-27 7:17 PM hoosiervic - 2010-05-24 7:31 PM The two wires from the switch are fed through a hole you will make in the key fob housing. They will need to be soldered to the circuit board on each side of the contact switch on the board, thus effectively bypassing the switch on the key fob. As the pictures show you can add a couple pull apart spade connectors in the wiring to allow ease of maintenance in the future. This is the chamberlain key fob remote I used - relatively cheap and available at Lowes. http://www.chamberlain-diy.com/doityourself/pages/productmodeldetai... I have the same key fob. Took apart to solder wires, but found the best place to attach the wires was through the holes that went through the circuit board. These holes are so small they would require tiny (30 gauge?) wire. I am concerned that small of wire will not hold up to the rigors of the motorcycle. Is this where you attached them? Is that what you used? It's been a while, but I believe that is the way I did it. I used the wires that came on the pushbutton switch, I think 18ga wires. I probably trimmed a few strands away until they would fit into the holes on the circuit board, then soldered. I've put about 16k miles on the bike since installing the opener with no issues. It works great. |
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Great idea! I'll be doing that as soon as I replace my wrecked bike next week. I too have a remote in the glove box. The problem with that is I live 4 houses from the corner. I hate making that last left hand turn home and having the glovebox door open. My handlebars make contact. I normally have to wait till I'm finished turning, than go real slow while the door opens. |
|
| |
|
Cruiser
Posts: 112
Denver, Iowa | I, too, velcro'd my door opener under the windshield ledge right after I purchased my bike last year. Simple and very effective. |
|
| |
|
Cruiser
Posts: 64
St. Louis, MO United States | I did something similar as well with some minor differences. My Genie garage door opener had a 12v battery in it and I did not want to keep replacing it every year so I modified the opener for power from the bike as well. I wired a 12v voltage regulator from Radio Shack in between switched 12v from the bike ignition to the regulator and then to the battery terminals on the opener. I put the voltage regulator and the opener in a sealed bag in the left side saddlebag in the small cubby hole near the front. I then did a similar extension to the push button but I mounted mine on the left side cover near the front where it was easy to access. The button I choose looks just like the plastic rivots that hold the two side covers in the center. |
|
| |
|
Tourer
Posts: 492
Indianapolis, IN | mleiten - 2011-03-07 8:58 AM I did something similar as well with some minor differences. My Genie garage door opener had a 12v battery in it and I did not want to keep replacing it every year so I modified the opener for power from the bike as well. I wired a 12v voltage regulator from Radio Shack in between switched 12v from the bike ignition to the regulator and then to the battery terminals on the opener. I put the voltage regulator and the opener in a sealed bag in the left side saddlebag in the small cubby hole near the front. I then did a similar extension to the push button but I mounted mine on the left side cover near the front where it was easy to access. The button I choose looks just like the plastic rivots that hold the two side covers in the center. Another example of the many options one can put together for this purpose. I like your method because if I understand your system correctly, the door opener is disabled when the ignition is off (key removed). This way if the bike is sitting say in the driveway and someone walks up, they couldn't open the door even if they did figure out where your push button is located. This has always bugged me about leaving a garage door opener in a vehicle out in the driveway. Anybody who is brazen enough to break into your car will gain immediate access to the garage and possible the house once in the car. I realise some aren't interested in going to the trouble of mounting the opener in a more elaborate way such as described above, but once complete it sure is convenient when you drive up, or while wearing heavy gloves, etc. Good on ya mleiten! |
|
| |